If you want a well-rounded life, set goals in each of these 10 areas

The 10 Categories Most Goals Fall Into

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Before you can start the task of identifying specific goals, you’ll find it helpful to categorize the various elements of your life.

Some of these areas will have a higher importance to you than others. Once you identify their significance in your own life, you’ll be on the way to prioritizing your goals.

The trick is to keep your ambitions broad in their scope and not to focus on one single area or target.

You may find that you only have one goal in one area and a whole list in another. That matters not one jot! Always remember that this is your life and not a box-ticking exercise.

So, here are 10 goal-setting categories to start those mental cogs turning.

1. Educational Goals

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To grow and change, first we must learn. You may think of education as just school, but it goes further into university studies, vocational courses, and professional qualifications.

It’s no surprise, then, that educational goals are likely to change as you move through formal education, come out into a career, and then negotiate your way through promotions and changes of direction.

The key is to remember that the time for education is never past. Lifelong learning is an opportunity to expand your mind in so many ways, so don’t think of education as something which is only relevant to the young.

The goals you may identify in relation to education will differ according to your chosen career path. Maybe, though, they’ll extend as far as preparing for a career change in the future which will require re-training in a whole new area.

2. Physical And Health Goals

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Our body, health, and physical capabilities have a major influence on our lives and what we are able to achieve.

Goals in this area will differ vastly depending on your age and your existing state of health.

If you’re young and fit, you’re likely to want to push yourself further and faster, with a significant physical fitness goal such as a marathon as your target.

If you’re a middle-aged and deskbound exec who’s let things slide (in every sense!), then just keeping within normal ranges for your age may well be your aspiration – make no mistake, though, that is still a goal!

Maybe you’re targeting a long life, and to stay mentally and physically active as appropriate for each life stage.

3. Relationship Goals

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While we are all complete in ourselves, the people in our lives play a huge role in how we feel and what we can accomplish.

Relationship goals are interesting because they’re often unselfish goals that are set for yourself, and will be life enhancing, but are also for the benefit of significant others.

How successful you are at achieving them will have a deep impact on your personal happiness.

Clearly, there’s the not insignificant task of finding a life partner and how to achieve that, if that’s your dream. Once that box is ticked, caring for that person and any children you have will doubtless create further goals for you.

Making sure you dedicate sufficient quality time both to your relationship and to your family and friends, and improving your work/life balance might be what you’re aiming for.

4. Personal Development Goals

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Change is the only universal constant, and that goes for each and every one of us. We can develop in so many different ways depending on what we value most.

Maybe you feel the need to stretch yourself mentally or physically by learning another language, learning to salsa, or mastering some new technique.

Maybe not.

The need for personal development is just that: personal.

Some people seem to have a limitless capacity to take on and master new challenges. That’s fine and dandy, but their goals shouldn’t be yours and you shouldn’t let yourself be so awed by their acumen that you don’t get off the starting blocks.

Personal development is great, but the drive needs to come from within.

Broadening your mind through travel or reading, learning new skills, and the catch-all ‘self-improvement’ all come under the umbrella of personal enrichment.

Chances are you’ll have a few ideas in this category. It matters not whether the list is long or short.

5. Career Goals

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We spend a huge chunk of our lives working. So don’t you think it’s wise to have some goals in place for such an important area of your life?

As mentioned before, this category is inextricably connected with education because you can’t really have one without the other. Making the effort to study and actively improve your skill set may open up new career avenues for you.

Most of us have a few ideas up our sleeve about our working future. Your goal may be to start your own business, to gain a particular accolade, to get a promotion, or to increase your earning power.

The act of making a concrete list of career goals, forming the basis of a master plan for your own career development, is empowering. It could be the first step to a new future.

6. Financial Goals

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Money makes the world go round – or at least, it does to an extent.

No wonder it’s one of the most popular areas when it comes to goal setting. No matter what rung of the ladder we’re currently on, most of us have aspirations and ambitions with the ultimate aim of making more money.

Perhaps you’re unfortunate enough to be in debt at present. If so, setting targets for your budget and seeking ways to adjust your spending habits will be top of your list.

If your dream is to buy a house, then identifying ways to save to make that dream a reality will be high on the agenda.

Retirement is another matter that requires careful thought and advance planning, so there may be some ‘stepping stone’ goals along the way with this in mind.

7. Spiritual Goals

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Since your spiritual life is your compass, this is another area which is interconnected with other types of goals – relationships and personal development, for example.

Whether or not you follow a particular religious faith, development of your spiritual side underpins pretty much everything you do.

Maybe you’ll set yourself the goal of freeing up the time to do some voluntary work or donating more money to those who are less fortunate.

Maybe your aspirations are to get involved in a charitable development project overseas.

On the other hand, you may just feel the need to be more mindful or to meditate regularly.

8. Psychological Goals

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Your mind is where it’s at. Life that is. What we create, what happens to us and around us, what we think and feel – everything is processed by and in the mind.

So it makes sense that you might want to set some goals that relate to how your mind interacts with the world. How you perceive things, what you believe, your attitudes toward events and people, your mindset.

Your mind is the most powerful tool you have in your locker, so be willing to work on it and set goals for how you’d like it to operate.

Maybe that means learning to stay calm in situations that currently stress you out. Perhaps it’s being more open-minded to opportunities that present themselves.

Whatever it is, your mind is able to adapt and change if you have the desire to make it happen.

9. External Goals

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Most goals solely focus on your life, your success, or your dreams, but you can also set goals that put someone else first.

This was touched upon under spiritual goals and doing charitable work, but it can be far more than this.

For example, imagine that you want to live your life in a way that causes the least suffering to others. This might encompass becoming vegetarian (or only eating free range produce), minimizing your impact on the environment, or paying a little extra for ethically sourced clothes.

Or, the focus of your goal might be closer to home. Perhaps you want to help a sibling out of a tricky financial situation or support your best friend as they go through a divorce.

External goals often overlap with other areas such as financial or career. Perhaps you need a certain amount of money to help someone out, or a flexible job that gives you the time to dedicate to a cause.

10. Experiential Goals

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